Poker brothers heading to Vegas for main event finale

By DAVID MARTIN

Grant Hinkle and Blair Hinkle, the brothers who grew up in Weatherby Lake and each won bracelets at this year’s World Series of Poker, will be spectators when the Main Event resumes in Las Vegas on Sunday. The tournament sponsors invited the Hinkles to return and watch the finale from prime seats in the theater of the Rio hotel and casino. “It’ll be just kind of a fun Vegas trip for us,” Grant Hinkle, who lives in Overland Park, says.

On May 31, Hinkle, an online marketing consultant, paid a $1,500 buy-in and won a no-limit Texas hold ’em event at the World Series. Hinkle outlasted Chris “Jesus” Ferguson and other well-known pros. His prize: $831,462.

Twelve days later, younger brother Blair, who lives in Columbia, won a no-limit hold ’em World Series event with 1,344 entrants. He walked away from the table with $507,563 and the cheesy gold bracelet that all poker players covet.